MOGADISHU, Somalia, March 6 (UPI) -- U.S. military assistance could prove critical in the Somali government's effort to reclaim control of its capital, Mogadishu, The New York Times reports.
The American military has provided training to Somali intelligence officers and troops, logistical support to the peacekeepers, surveillance information on insurgents and money for bullets and guns.
But if the Somali offensive, which could begin within a few weeks, drives al-Qaida terrorists from Mogadishu, U.S. covert forces would get involved, an unidentified American official told the newspaper.
"What you're likely to see is airstrikes and Special Ops moving in, hitting and getting out," the official said.
American involvement is part of a strategy to eliminate a haven for al-Qaida in Somalia, which draws jihadists from throughout the world, the Times said.
The newspaper reported U.S. officials have grown more and more anxious about the connection between Somalia and Yemen, as jihadists travel back and forth across the Red Sea between the countries.
U.S. officials say 6,000 to 10,000 trained Somalia troops would fight in the offensive against about 5,000 on the side of the insurgents.
